Tandem disk harrow



F. H. FRENCH. TANDEM DISK HABROW. APPLICATION man JUNE 12. 920.

Patentedl Dec 6, W21.

2 SHYEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATNT FRANK H. FRENCH, 01E PRESTON, IUWA.

TANDEM DISK MARROW.

aa improved construction for'tandem disk harrows.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means for connecting a trailer harrow to a leader harrow.

A further-object of this invention is to provide improved means for utilizing power of a tractor to simultaneously and uniformly alter the angular relation of the gangs of a leader and a follower harrow.

A further object of this invention is to provide means in a harrow equipped for power operation of its gangs, for selectively changing either of the gangs by manual operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide an. improved construction for a bearingfor disk harrows with particular relation to the means for supplying lubricant thereto.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan of my improved harrow and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fi 3 is an enlarged vertical section on the in icated line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on the line 1-4 of Fig. 2.

' Fig. 5 is a perspective illustrating a rock shaft employed for shifting the angular relation of the gangs of the rear harrow.

Fig. 6 is a plan illustrating a special bearing employed, the upper bearing memberbeing removed; Figs. 7 and 8 are cross-sections through the complete bearing, taken respectively on the lines 7-7 and 8-8 of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a cross-section through" both bearingmembers, taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 10 is a side elevation illustrating a lever which may be employed for manual operation of the rear disk gangs in lieu of the power operated means for shifting the same.

This inventionrelates to and is an im- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ec... 1921..

1920. Serial at. 388,520. r

provement on the invention illustrated, described and claimed in Letters Patent of the United States Number 1,337,4d8 granted to me April 20, 1920, to which reference hereby is made. Many features of the leader disk harrow herein shown are also illus trated and described in Letters Patent of the United States Number 1,286,986 granted to me December 10,1918.

The leader disk harrow consists, generally, of a relatively long main frame, desig natcd generally by the numeral 10, having a length corresponding substantially to the combined lengths of the disk gangs or units 11, 12. lEvener bars 13, 1A are pivoted at their centers to and on opposite sides of the center of the main frame 10 and have their.

outer ends pivotally connected, by means of links 15. 16 respectively, to extreme outer end portions of the respective disk gangs.

The trailer harrow has two disk gangs, designated generally by the. numerals 17, 18, which are arranged 1n staggered relation and oppositely dlshed relative to the disks of the forward harrow. At the extreme outer end portions of the gangs 17, 18, preferably between the two outermost disks thereof, are boxings 19, 20, shown in detail in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive and hereinafter described at length. For the present it is suffioient to say that each of said boxings is formed with a horizontal bearing to journal an axle of a disk gang, and with a for-' ward projection 21 formed with a vertical bearing 22. A cross frame bar 23 is formed of two spaced parallel members suitably secured together, is arranged above the disk gangs 17, 18, and has its end portions turned downwardly adjacent the boxings 19, 20. In the downturned end portionsof the cross frame bar 23 are secured spindles 2t, 25,

vertically arranged and proy'tecting at both ends from said frame bar. he lower projecting. ends of the s indles 24:, 25 are swiveled in the vertical earings 22 of the for, 100

ward projections of the respective boxings 19 and 20. The cross frame bar 23 provides a means for connecting the disk gangs 17, 18 l and preventing their separation in use. An

evener bar 26 is transversely arranged in 106 front of and substantially parallel with the cross frame bar 23. The evener bar 26 has its ends hooked or recurved re'arwardly at 26 and lying in the same horizontal plane as. the y port on thereof. Draft links 27, 11c

wardly projecting portions of the spindles 24, 25, and their forward ends converging somewhat and overlying end portions of the evener'bar 26*a-nd pivoted to bolts 29, extending vertically therethrough. Other draft links 31, 32 are pivoted at their rear endsto lower end portions of the spindles 24, 25, are inclined upwardly throughout portions of their lengths, and have thelr forward end portions bent into horizontal lanesspaced below. the draft links 27, 28. The forward end portions of the lower draft links 31, 32 engage the lower surface of the hooked end portions of the evener bar 26 and are pivoted on the bolts 29, 30. Forward portions of the draft links 27-31 and 28-32 also are connected by bolts 33, and hammer-strap braces 34 extend from said bolts to the bolts 29 and 30, the last named bolts extending materially above the evener bar 26. The hooked portions of the evener bar 26' are embraced between the parallel portions of the draft links 27- -31 and 28-32 to prevent tilting of said bar under strain. Draft links 35, 36 are. provided to connect end portions of the evener bar 26 to the stub tongue 37 of the forward harrow, said draft links preferably converging substantially on the same angles assumed by the rearward draft links, so that they are substantially in line, on each side of the device. Each draft link 35, 36 preferably is composed of two flat bars arranged with "their greater transverse dimension vertically, the forward portions of which are side by side and bolted rigidly together, as

by bolts 38. Near their rear ends the bars composing each of the draft links 35, 36 diverge to form vertically arranged forks, the rear portions of which are formed with eyes pivoted on the bolts 29 and 30. The

. upper members of the forks are'pivoted on u per end portions of the bolts 29 and 30, a ove the braces 34, and the lower members of the forks are pivoted on lower ends of said bolts, below the lower rear draft links 31 and 32. Thegeneial form of the forward draft links 35, 36 is arched, whereby they are carried over the forward disk gangs 11, 12, the forward end portions inclining downwardly. A plate 39 is arranged transversely of and rigidly clamped to the stub projects at bothends there- Forward ends of the foremost draft links 35, 36 enter the clips 40, 41 and are pivoted therein on transversely arranged bolts 42. Thus means is provided for transferring the draft force from the stub tongue of the forward harrow to outer end portions of the trailer harrow, and for bridging the draft devices over the harrow devices, the arof the. tandem may independently turn laterally of the line of advance.

. The stub tongue 37 of the forward harrow preferably is composed of two angle irons slightly spaced apart and arranged with their vertical flanges projecting upwardly at their outer mar 'ns. A draw bar 43, referably formed of iron, is mounted in t e seat formed by the angle bars of the stub tongue 37 and is adapted for limited sliding movement therein. The draw bar 43 is adapted to be attached in'any suitable manner to a tractor employed to furnish motive power for the harrows. A yokeshaped shifting lever 44 is arranged with its closed end uppermost, straddles the stub and downwardly and on divergent planes to points beneath outer end portions of the evener bar 26. Rock shafts '48, one of which is shown in Fig. 5, are arranged beneath the evener bar 26 and on opposite sides of the center thereof and are journaled for oscillation in U-clips49 carried by said bar. Each rock shaft 48 is formed with crank arms 50, 51 at its ends extending downwardly in different planes, and the inner most crank arms 50 are pivotally connected, by means of links 52, 53 respectively, to inner end portions of the gangs of the rear harrow, said links being pivoted at their rear ends to boxings 54, 55 carried by said gangs. The outermost crank arms 51 of the rock shafts 48 are pivotally connected to rear end portions of the links 46, 47 respectively. Thus it will be seen that oscillation .gangs 17,18 relative to the line of draft, the

gangs articulating. on the axes of the spindles 24, 25.

Links '56, 57 are arranged on opposite sides of the stub tongue 37 and are pivotally connected to lower end portions of the yoke lever 44 at their forward ends and at their rear ends to boxings 58, 59 carried by inner end portions of the forward disk gangs 11, 12. Other links 60, 61 are-connected at their forward ends to the yoke lever 44, or preferably to forward portions of the links 56, 57 respectively, and said links 60, 61 are ivoted at their rear ends to inner end portions of the evener bars 13, 14. Oscillation of the yoke lever 44, it will be observed, will also result in oscillation or adjustment of the forward-disk gangs, the inner end portions of said gangs being moved in one direction (forwardly or rearwardly) by draft on the links 56, 57, .while the outer end portions of 13, 14 and links 15, 16. By this-arrange-- ment the forward disk gangs are moved from both ends,'fin the process of adjusting their angular relation, and neither end need be moved a-great distance to accomplish the end sought. It will also be observed that an oscillation of the yokelever 44 results in simultaneous adjustment of the gangs of the forward and rear harrows, which adjustment is uniform and in opposite directions.

with respect to the two harrows and with res ect to the two gangs of each barrow, by which the working arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1- may be secured by a single oscillation of said yoke lever. A pitman 62 is pivoted at one end to the upper central portion ot the yoke lever 44: and extends rearwardly and downwardly, is forked and embraces and is pivoted by means of a bolt 63 to the draw bar 43. Shding movement at the draw bar 43 on the stub tongue will ettect an oscillation of the yoke lever i lthrough the pitman 62 and result in the adjustment of the disk gangs as above described. To normally prevent sliding movement at the draw bar 43 a bell-crank detent 6dispivoted in a casting 65 carried by the stub tongue and arching over the said draw bar, said detent being pressed by a spring 66 to engagement with one or another of ratchet notches. 67

of the bell-crank detent 64 and is extended torwardly to a position near the operators seat on the tractor. Manual draft on said cord results in a release of the detent 64, against the action of the spring 66, so that draft on the draw bar t6, as by forward movement or the tractor, will result in a forward sliding movement of said draw bar, a forward oscillation of the upper end portion oii the yoke lever 44L through thrust of the pitman 62, and an adjustment of the disk gangs to angular relation as shown and as previously described. As soon as sullicient angularity of the gangs has been accomplished the cord 68 is released and the spring 66 moves the detent to engaging position, whereupon draft on the draw bar will result in forward movement of the tandem barrow.

gangs, as when the machine is operating on a side-hill. To permit a selective adjustment throughmanual operation l have provided that instead ot connecting the 11s 56, 57 directly to the lower end of the yoke lever 44, hand levers 70, 71 are employed,

fulcrumed between their ends on the bolts 45 and arranged just outside of and in con-- tact with the "side members of said yoke lever, and the links 56, 57 are connected to lower ends of said hand levers. The hand levers 70, 71 normally are locked to the yoke lever 44 by means of detent devices *7 2, 73 engaged in internal segment 74:, 75 formed on the lower ends of the side members of said yoke lever. Normally the hand levers are arrangedin a central position on and locked to the yoke lever so that the automatic power adjustment of the disk gangs may be accomplished as above described; but in case it becomes desirableto sec'uredifterent adjustments of the forward disk gang s, one or the other of the hand levers 76, 71 may be released by manipulation of its detent devices, and the links 56, 57 and members connected therewith be adjusted manuall to the desired extent fland independently or the other oi said links. The hand levers 70, 71 preferably are bent decidedl between their ends and inclined forwardly at their upper ends sov as to be operable trom the seat of the tractor.

The special boxin '.s l own in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive has been esigned particularly to overcome end thrust in the rear disk gangs. The axle 76 of a gang is shown extended through a spool 77 in a common manner, which spool is received in the horizontal bearing of the boxing 19. The spool 77 is formed with a flange 7 8' or shoulder spaced trom the adjacent end of the bearing, and between said flange or shoulder and the end of the hearing are interposed two chilled steel rings, designated by the numerals 79, 80, one oit 'which'is locked to the spool. and the other to the boxing by means of lugs 81 entering, notches in said members. The rin s are designed to overcome end thrust, preferably are made in semi-circum terential halves to facilitate assembling and removal for repairs.

A cup 82 for lubricant is mounted in a hole in the upper portion of the upper member of the boxing, in a common manner, and

a semi-circumferential groove 83 leads from the inner end of this hole, on the inner surface of the bearing, to a point'diametrically opposite to said cup, said Egroove being formed partly in the upper member of the boxing-and partly in the lower member, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 7. A hole 84 (dotted lines Fig. 6) leads from the lower end of the groove 83 through the maple bushing 85 of the spool 77, and thus lubricant is supplied to theaxle 76 at the free side of its bearing.

tension 21 of The vertical of the forward exeach 19 or 20 is of tapered form'as shown in ig. 9, being en-' larged laterally at its upper and lower ends but not. longitudinally, topermit some freedom of movement the spindle 24 or 25 therein onlines transversely to the path of travel of the machine, but preventing 8:; play on lines parallelto the path of vanee. a

Some users may prefer separate manually operable means .for independently shifting the of the rear harrow and in this event the links 46,47 are dispensed with and shorter links such as 86 (see Fig. em-

yedintheirstead andconnededtohland livers suchas 87. fulcmmedi at any convenient location onceach of the draft links 35 and 36 and provided with detezli ldevice; 88 engageabeinse ents89 carri ysai draft links. wheri t he levers 87 and links 86 are employed, the rear gangs are not adjusted simultaneously with the front gangs through shifting of the yoke 4*}, but each of the rear gangs is adjusted :w' ly and independently by manual operat,through"'anduni'fofii1ly shift' the hand lever 86 applicable thereto.

My harrow herem shown and described the advantages of the so-called leverless harrows, in the provision for simultaneously and uniformly adjusting all of the gangs through power applied from the tractor; and it mwrr' a. decided advantage in addition thereto in the provision for manual independent adjustmentof the forward disk gangs selectively on occasion I claim as my invention 1. In-a tandem disk barrow, a leader harrow provided with a frame and a tongue, a trailer harrow provided with a cross frame bar extending substantiall throughout its entire length, an eveuer ar in front of said frame bar, links pivohlly connect' extreme outer end portions of said cross ebartoouter end portions of said ,evener bar, and connected pivotall at their rear end to outer end portions :of mgfigtimra3l1$hinft hnksh converging nti y at t eir forward ends and being pivotally connected to the tongue of said leader harrow and arching over the frame of said leader harrow without any connection thereto.

2. Ina tandem disk harrow, a leader har-' row provided a frame and a tongue, a trailer barrow provided with a frame, a plate transversely of and projecting beyond said tongue, clips swiveled 'in end portions of said 7 pivoted at their rear ends to outer end portions of the frame of the trailer harrow, arching over and disconnected relative to the leader harrow frame and converging to and being pivoted adjacent each other in the clips on horizontal axes.

otally secured thereto, said frame inc plate, and draft 3. In a harrow a frame, a disk 'votally secured thBI OtO, said frame incluiliiig a cross-member a in front of said disk gang, a rock shaft journaled in said crowframe member in front of said disk ng, link pivotally W003i said rock aft to one end'portion of gang, and means for oscillat' said rock shaft.

' 4. Inadisk arrow,aframe,disk gangspivudinfi a cross-member arranged in front of hot of said a pair of spaced bearings carried by said cross-frame-member on each side ofv the median line of the frame, a rock shaft journaled in each pair of said bearmgs, a link ivotally connecting each of and rock sha to one of'said gangs, and means for simultaneously rocking said -'5. In a tandem harrow, a leader harrow including a frame and disk gangs pivoted thereon, a trailer harrow including a frame and disk gangs pivoted thereon, draft links pivotally connecting the trailer barrow to the leader barrow, meansrfoi-"simultaneousl [:5 all the gangs of botii of said barrows to their angularity relative to the path 0 advanoe'of the machine, and independent means for shifting certain of said gangs.

6. In a tandem disk harrow, a leader harrow including a frame and disk gangs pivoted thereto, a trailer harrow including a frame and disk gangs pivoted thereto, draft links pivotally connecting the trailer harrow to the leader harrow, means for simuL taneously and uniformly shifting. the

of both of said harrows to adjust their angularity relative to the path of advance, and lndependent means for selectively shifting the gangs of the leader harrow.

7. Ina tandem disk barrow, a leader harrow including a frameand disk gangs pivoted thereto, a trailer'harrow including a frame and disk gangs pivoted thereto, draft links pivotally connecting the trailer h'arrow to the leader harrow, a member adapted for sliding movement on the leader harrow and adapted to be connected to a tractor device, means connected with said sliding member for simultaneously and uniformly diifting all of the to alter their angularityvrelative to the ine of advance, and manuall operated means for independently adjustmg the angularity of the gs of the leader harrow.

8. In a tandem disk barrow, a leader harrow including a frame and disk gangs pivoted thereto and a tongue on said frame, a trailer harrow including a frame and disk gangs pivoted thereto, draft links pivotally' latching said draw bar against sliding movement, means connecting said draw bar to each of the disk gangs whereby sliding movement of the former is transformed to pivotal shifting movement of the latter, and separate means or manually and independently adjusting the gangs of the leader harrow.

9. In a disk harrow having disk gangs mounted for pivotal movement on vertical axes, meansfor shifting said gangs comprising a member mounted for sliding movement and adapted to be connected to a tractor device, means for latching said sliding member against movement, a lever pivotally mounted and having pivotal connections to said sliding member, linksconnecting said lever to the respective disk gangs, and means for shifting certain of said gangs independently of said lever means.

10. In a disk harrow having disk gangs mounted for pivotal movement on vertical axes, means for shifting said gangs comprising a draw bar adapted for sliding movement and adapted to be secured to a tractor device, means for latching said draw bar against slidin movement, a lever suitably fulcrumed an having pivotal connections to said sliding member whereby said lever is oscillated through slidin said draw bar, handlevers fu crumed on Said lever and adapted for independent adjustment at times and adapted normally to be locked thereto, and links pivotally connecting said hand levers to said disk gangs, whereb said gangs ma be simultaneously and unlformly shifted t rough operation of said draw bar or be independently shifted manually by operation of said hand levers.

11.In a disk harrow, a frame, a tongue thereon, disk gangs pivotally secured to said frame, a, draw bar mounted for sliding movement on said tongue and adapted to be secured to a tractor device, means for latching said draw bar against sliding movement, a

movement of;

lever fulcrumed on said tongue, a pitman pivotally connecting said draw bar to said lever, said yoke lever being formed with a nectin said hand levers to said disk gangs.

12. n a tandem disk harrow, a forward frame, disk gangs pivoted thereon, a rear frame, disk gangs pivoted thereon, rock shafts journaled in the rear frame, pivotal connections between said rock shafts and the gangs of the rear frame, draft connections between the rear and forward frames, a draw bar slidably mounted on the forward frame and adapted to be secured to a tractor device, meansfor latching said draw bar against sliding movement, a member fulcrumed between its ends on said forward frame, pivotal connections between said member and the draw bar for oscillating said member through sliding movement of said draw bar, means pivotally connecting one end of said member to the respective rock shafts, hand levers fulcrumed on and adapted to be latched to said member, and pivotal connections between said hand levers and the gangs of the forward frame.

13. In a disk harrow, a frame member, a vertical spindle carried by said frame member, a disk gan having'a boxing adjacent one end thereo said boxing being fprmed with a, vertical bearin to receive said spindle, said bearing being enlarged laterally at its upper and lower ends to permit some freedom of movement of said s indle on lines transversely to the path of a vance of the device, and means for shifting said disk gan .on the axis ofsaid spindle.

Signe atDes Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, this 21st day of May, 1920.

' FRANK H; FRENCH. 

